Chassis lubricating and cleaning system



Apr. 10, i923. 1,451,388

J. L. FAY.

CHASSIS LUBRICATION AND CLEANING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 25, 192i da alla Z 7*? Y J7 Y J7 "iii: d

' Patented Apr. l0, i223.

JOHN Il. FAY, OF ST. LOUIS, MESSOURI.

SIS LUBRICATING -NID CLEANING SYSTEM.

,application sied aebruary 2a, 1921. serial ne. 447,063.

,To all vwhom it may concern.' Be it known that I, JOHN L. FAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis,

Missouri, have invented a certain new andv 5 useful Improvement in Chassis Lubrication and Cleanin Systems, of which the following is a ful, clear, and Iexact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use they 10. same, reference being had to lthe accompany- 'ing drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to motor vehicles,

audits principal object is to provide means 15 for distributing under air pressure a suitable lubricant to the bearings carried on the chassis and the mechanism associated therewith.

Another object of the invention -is to provide an air pressure lubricating'system for @D the chassis,l which system can be utilized when sodesired for cleaning the distribut! ing chambers and the bearings and for removing the gummy substances and grit formed or lodged therein by the substitution 95 of a suitable solvent, such as coal-oil, gasoline, etc., for the lubricant in said system.

Further objects of the iivention are, to

provide suitable connections and manually` controlled means therefor so that the supplyy 30 of the lubricant and the admission of the compressed air to the system can be easily and quickly controlled by the operator. Y

Still another obiect is to provide visual means in the system whereby the operator 35 can immediately ascertain the true working conditions of the system so that if any of the distributing connections or receptacles are not working properly, the operator can readily detect the faulty connection and either repair or replace it.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the chassis of a truck equipped with my chassis lubricating system. 5 Figure 2 is a transverse vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

'Figure 3 is a detail view showing. the branch connections between one of the. supply lines and the lubricant cups of the for- 50 ward endof one-of theY rear springs.'

' Figure iris a detail view showing the branch connections between one of the suppl lines and the lubricant cups of the brake ro s.

'M Figure` is a vertical cross section of one of the lubricant cups and its branch pipe connections.

Figure 6 is a detail cross section of a goose-neck port-ion of oneof the branch p1 es.

eferring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 10 indicates the chassis of a truckhaving side frames or channel members 1l. The rear axle l2 is provided with rear wheels 13 and springs 14, the ends of $5 which are secured to the brackets 15 carried by chassis 10. The rear wheels are equipped with the usual brakes I6 which are operated by brake rods 17 journaled in brackets 18 which are fixed on the outside of channel 7@ members 11;' The front -axle 19 is provided corresponding` with wheelfsQOvand springs 21, the latter being connected to the chassis by brackets 22.

. Four short tubular sections or receptacles are vertically disposed in an easily acces- 75 sible position onthe chassis,-in the'present instance, in the rear of drivers seat 23. The upper ends of tubular receptacles 25 are re# duced in cross section and are provided with open-topped funnel-shaped, members 26. Suitable valves 27 are interposed between the reduced upper ends of receptaclesv 25 and funnels 26 and control the communication therebetween.

Main pipe 28 leading from compressedair @5 tank 29 carried by the chassis is provided with branch pipes 8O which are connected to the upper ends of receptacles 25 immediately below valves' 27. Branch pipes 30 have valves 31 vwhich control the admission of compressed air from tank 29 to receptacles 25. An intake valve 32 on tank 29 allows the replenishing of the tank withffhe compressed air in the same manner in which the automobile. tires are iniated. I

The tubular receptacles 25 are provided with narrow sections or inserts 33 of transparent material such as glass which permit f the visual inspection to ascertain that the lul bricant is properly fed therefrom. The 1% lower end of each tubular receptacle 25 is connected to a corresponding main supply pipe 34. 34a, 35, and 35, pipes 34 and'Bfl supplying the bearings on the left and right sides of the rear end of the chassis, and pipes R05 35 and 35 supplying the bearings on the left and right sides respectively, of the front end of the chassis.

Branch,pipes 36 lead from' thel main sup-V ply pipes and supply cups 37 located on the U0 various bearings on the chassis with lubricant. Each branch pipe is preferably pro vided with a downwardly extending gooseneck portion 36 having a removable plug 37a so that anyl sediment or grit will be trapped in this downward extension. These extensions can lbe cleaned by unscrewing plug 38 and removing the sediment or grit from said extension. Valves 39 are located in pipes 34, 34, 35, and 35a, and control the communication between said pipes and their res ective receptacles.

n the operation oi the system, tank 29 is charged with compressed air, preferably at a illing stat-ion, by connecting a vsupply pipe to the valve 32. Valves 3l and 39 are closed and valves 27 are opened and the receptacles 25 are filled with oil through funnel-shaped members 26. After the lubricant reaches the desired level in receptacles 26, valves 27 are closed and valves 39 and air valves 3l are opened. The opening of valves 3l admits compressed air from tank 29 through pipe 28 and banch pipes 30 to receptacles 25 and forces the lubricant therein through supply pipes 34, 34a, 35, and 35a into their corresponding branch pipes 36 and lubricant cups 37. The lubricant is then distributed under pressure from cups 37 between the rubbing surfaces of the bearings. If any of the cups do not Work properly or any oi the lubricant distributing channels bec-ome choked, the descent of the level of the lubricant in its corresponding receptacle 25 will be"muchv slower or the level of the lubricant in receptacle 25 will remain stationary. This the operator can readily ascertain by inspecting the transparent inserts 33 in receptacles 25.

When it is desired to 'clean the pipe connections and the bearing; some of the plugs 38 are removci to allow the draining ot the iumicanty from the` pipe connections. Ify for 'any reason a portion of the lubricant remains in reptaele 25, plug 40 located in each pipe 3a, 3ft, 35 and 35a can be removed permitting the lubricant in receptacle 25 to be rained therefrom. After all the surplus oil has been removed, plugs 38 and 30 are replaced in their places and valves 3i are closed. Valves 27 are now opened and the receptacles are filled through funnel-shaped 'members 26v with a suitable cleaning liquid or solvent, such as coal-oil or gasoline. Valves 27 are now closed andair valves 31 are opened, admitting compressedair into the upper portions of the receptacles 25, thereby forcing the cleaning liquid into the pipe connections, cups 37, and their respec tive. bearings. ,Y

The action of the solvent will dissolve any gummy substances which might have accumulated in the passageways or in the bearings and the continued air pressure will force the solventroutwardly through lthe bearings. After the bearings and thev pipe connections have been cleaned, valves 39 and 3l are closed and valves 27 opened and receptacles 25 are refilled .with the lubricant. V lves 27 are now closed and valves 3land 39 are opened which will admit compressed air into the receptacles 25 and permit the lubricant to descend to the open valves 39 and main supply pipes and their corresponding branch pipes to the lubricantcups and the various bearings.

A vehicle equipped with my chassis lubricating system is assured with very little labor of an effective lubrication of all the wearing parts of the chassis, thereby eliminating the noises due to insufficient lubrication and reducing the depreciation ot the vehicle to minimum.

Obviously various changes of parts can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope ot' which is set forth in the appended claims.

l claim:

l. In a chassis lubricating system, the combination with the bearings of a chassis, of receptacles mounted on said chassis and adapted to receive lubricant, pipe connections between said receptacles and the bearings. on said chassis, drain plugs in the low- ,ermost portions of said pipe connections, a compressed air-tank, and mea-ns for admitting compressed air from said air-tank to said receptacles, whereby said lubricant is forced through said pipe connections into said bearings.

2. In a chassis ,lubricating system, the combination with the bearings of a chassis. of. receptacles mounted on said chassis' and adapted to receive lubricant, pipe connections between said receptacles and the bearings on said chassis, compressed air tank, conduits for admitting compressed air from said air tank to said receptacles, whereby said lubricant is forced through said pipe connections into said bearings, a. plu in each pipe connection immediately below the receptacle for draining the latter, and means for controlling the admission of the compressed air to said receptacles.

3. In a chassis lubricating syst-em, a plurality of receptacles adapted to receive lubricant, a main pipe oonnection leading from each receptacle, a. plurality of branch pipe connections leading from said main pipe to the'bea-rings on said chassis, a compressed air tank. pipe connections from said tank to said receptacles, whereby the lubricant contained therein is forced under pressure through said main pipe and its branch connections to the-chassis bearings, valves in said main pipe connections.

4. In an automobile chassis lubricating system, the combination with the chassis bearings, of a container adapted to receive a suitable liquid, means for controlling the and x communication between said container and the atmosphere, a main conduit leading from said container, branch conduits leading from said main conduit to said bearings, a valve 5 in said main conduit, a compressed air tank, pipe connection bet-Ween said an' tank and the upper end of said container for admit- `ting compressed @ir to the latter and thereby JoHN L. FM. 

